Electric switch



Sept. 16, 1930. H. A. DOUGLAS 1,775,990

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Dec. l1, 1926 Patented Sept. 16, 1930 HARRY A. DOUGLAS, 0F BRONSON, MICHIGAN ELECTRIC SWITCH Application filed December 11, 1826. Serial No. 154,229.l

My invention relates to motor vehicles and to switching mechanism which, in its preferred embodiment, Ais particularly adapted for employment lupon motor vehicles yfor governing the stop lights or other signaling devices thereon.

The invention has for its objects the provision of means for rendering dust-proof the switching mechanism enclosing casino'. In carrying out this object of my invention, I employ a dust-proof packing` at the opening in the casing through w ich opening an operating member projects to the exterior of the vcasing to be operable outside of the casing. This packing surrounds the projecting portion of the switch operating member and is pressed upon by an inner portion of this operating member. Spring means are desirably employed for pressing the inner portion of the operating member upon the packing and to press the packing, in turn, upon the inner face of the casing wall where the packing is disposed. One of the contacts of thel switching mechanism is desirably spring pressed and presses the inner operating member portion upon the packing.

The invention has for another object the provision of a mounting arm for the switching mechanism which is also a structural addition to the casing to cooperate therewith in assembling the casing and parts within the casing. In carrying outthis object of my invention, the mounting arm is held in assembly with the casing wall that surrounds the contacts of the switching mechanism by clinching formations provided upon said casing wall. In accordance with one of the features of the invention, this arm has a cup formation which receives said casing wall and the base member of insulation surrounded by this wall and carrying a contact or contacts of the switching mechanism and in which cup said base member is desirably seated.

The invention will be more fully explained in connection withthe accompanying draw ing in which Fig. 1 is a view, somewhat diagrammatic, illustrating a portion of the body of an automobile in longitudinal section, one of the rear propelling vehicle wheels and braking mechanism which is preferably employed to control the switching mechanism; Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the switching mechanism and portions of the parts adjacent thereto; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 2; F ig.4 is a sectional view on line 4 1 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a reverse View of the switching mechanism and parts as i1- lustrated in Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6 6 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 7 isa perspective view of the circuit controlling member of the switch. I

The switching mechanism shown employs a. generally cylindrical casing l having a front end wall 2 which is formed withl an annular cavity, bulging outwardly, which receives a dust-proof packing or gasket 3 which may be of fibrous material saturated with lubricant. The front wall of the casing is formed with an opening through which the hub portion 4 cfa switch operating member projects to the exterior of the casing where it may be operated, as by means of an arm 5 riveted thereto, as indicated at 6, the edge of the opening in the wall 2 being coaxial with the casing wall l whereby the switch operating member is turned upon an axis that is coincident with the axis of said casing end wall. The hub portion i of the switch operating member is preferably formed of sheet metal and has a flange portion 7 which is held in snug engagement with the front face of ari-insulating disc 8 which is coaxial with the hub 4 and casing wall l, the means for assembling the flange and disc being desirably the prongs 9 which are struck from the iange and are clinched into engagement with the disc, as illustrated in Fig. 7. The disc is formed with three cylindrical recesses l0 extending from the rear face of the disc nearly to the front face thereof and arranged upon a circle that is concentric with the disc. A triangular metallic plate ll is formed with three circular openings upon the same circle with the recesses l0. Spring barrels 12 are passed through these openings in plate 11, these spring barrels being formed with heads 13 at the rear ends thereof, these heads being clamped between the triangular metallic plate 11 and another triangular metallic izo plate 14. A spring is contained in each spring barrel, these springs pressing upon the plungers 16 that are contained in the spring barrels and project through the front ends thereof` the front ends of these plungers bottoming upon the end walls of the recesses 10. The rear end of the casing is closed by a disc or base member of insulation 17 which car nies a metallic contact sleeve 18, this sleeve passing through the disc and being coaxial therewith, the disc being also coaxial with the casing wall 1, the disc 8 and the hub d. The disc or base member 17 is held from rotation by means of thevfeather 1 which enters a slot 17 formed in the part 17.

rfhe metallic contact plate 14 is rearwardly bulged, as indicated at 19, to constantly engage the front end f the metallic contact sleeve 18. One of the circuit wires 2O is brought into connection with the sleeve 18 by means of a screw 21 which is threaded into said sleeve. rlfhe plate 11i is thus constantly in connection with said wire. rlhe plate 1l has another rearwardly` bulging contact formati-on 22 which is engageable with another Contact sleeve 28 formed similarly to theicontact sleeve 18 and having Aconnection with another wire 24E by means of a screw 25. The contact 28 is eccentric to the contact 18 and desirably has an extension 29 flush with the inner face of the disc 17.' lWhen the arm 5 is turned, the contact 22 is brought into or out of engagement with the Contact 28 and when this contact 22 is in open circuit position, it is received. in the depression 26 formed upon the inner face of the disc 17. This disc is held in a fixed Zone with respect to the casing wall 1, as will hereinafter appear. The springs 15, in addition to holding the contacts 19 and 22 in engagement with the parts complemental thereto, also press the disc 8 forwardly to bring the flange 7, assembled therewith, into tight engagement with the packing 8 whereby the opening` through the front casing end wall is thoroughly sealed to guard against the access of dust or other foreign mattei'.

The degree of turning movement of the switch operating members 1l, 5, 7, 8 is limited by means of the engaging formation 27 pressed inwardly from the front corner portion of the casing and thus forming a part of the casing, as is preferred, and the engaging formations 28 upon said switch operating member which are desirably provided upon the flange 7 which is preferably formed 'with an arcuate recess having the formations 28 at its ends, this arcuate recess being ofsulfcient length to provide the maximum range of movement for said switch operating member.

rlh'e switching mechanism is shown as being provided with a mounting arm 29 which, as illustrated, is secured to the lioor 8O of the lvehicle body by means of screws 81 which are passed through the angular upper end of'the arm. The lower end of the upright branch of the supporting arm has a cup formation 82 in which the insulating disc or base member 17 and the rear end of the wall 1 are seated, the circular side wall of the cup partially surrounding the casing wall 1 and this casing wall surrounding the base member 17. rEhe casing wall 1 is desirably formed with tongues 88 which are passed lthrough slots in the bottom of the cup .82 and are thereafter turned inwardly toward the center of the cup where-bv the cup is clinched into engagement with said casing wall and the rear face of the base member 17. A circular opening is formed in the bottom of the cup to accommodate the terminals 18 and 28 and the wiring connected therewith.

The switch, preferably constructed as above specically described, is, in accordance with another feature of my invention, suitably assembled with the floor 8O of the vehicle body, as hithertoeXpl-ained. The lower end of the lever arm 5 is connected by means of a rod 84 with a clamp 85 which is secured to the bra re rod 86, in theenibodiment of the invention illustrated. rihe forward end of this brake rod is connected with a foot lever 87 which is moved in one direction by the pressure of the foot to apply the brakes of which one is shown at 88. A suit-able spring 89 restores the foot lever when it is released. In the embodiment of the invention illustrat-ed, a stop light l0 is included in a grounded circuit which is opened and `closed by the operating members 4l, 5, 7, 8 according to the .1100

direction of movement of the foot lever 87, the lamp 49 having one terminal grounded and the other terminal connected to the contact 28 through the battery or other source of current 4:1, the contact 18 being grounded. i

Vhen the foot lever 87 is depressed, the arm 5 is positively turned, owing to the positive connection thereof with the rod 86, to establish circuit through the lamp 40. When the foot lever is released, the spring 89 restores it to normal and in this restoring movement the arm 5 is positively turned in a reverse direction positively tor open the lamp circuit. The connection of the rod 84 with the arm 5 is suiiiciently'far from the axis of movement of the arm as to secure the proper range of movement of the operating member of the switch in correspondence with the range of movement of the lever 87 and the rod 86.

Changes may be made' without departing from the invention.

Having thus described claim:

1. The combination of a casing having an axial opening in one end, a switch operating' member positioned in said opening, a dust proof packing interposed between the operating member and casing, a contact device my invention, I

within the casing controlled by the operating member, said device including a springcon- 30 tact, and means operated by the reaction of sai-d spring Contact from a. fixed part within the ycasing to compress said dust proof packing.

5 2. The combination of a easing having an axial opening in one end, a switch operating member positioned in said opening and having a lateral extension overlying the inner face of said casing end, a dust proof packing lo interposed between said lateral extension and casing end, and cooperating fixed and spring pressed complementary contacts within the casing, the spring pressed contact being carried by the operating member and reacting from a part lixe-d within the casing to press said operating member outwardly thereby to compress said dust proof packing between the lat-eral extension of the operating member and the end of the casing.

3. The combination of a casing having an axial opening in one end, a switch operating member positioned in said opening and having a lateral extension overlying the inneiface of said casing end, a dust proof packing interposed between said lateral extension and easing end, and cooperating fixed and spring pressed complementary contacts wit-hin the casing, one of which is carried by the operating member, said spring pressed Contact reacting from a fixed part within the casing to press said operating member outwardly thereby to compress said dust proof packing between the lateral extension of the operating member and the 'end of the casing.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

HARRY A. DOUGLAS. 

